Where the Road Takes Us
by WishingUnderStars
Summary: Follow Maxon and America through the ups and downs in their married life. In between the One and the Heir. Series of one-shots.
1. The Fight for Love: Part 1

**AN This is my first ever story, so I hope you like it. Sorry if I made Maxon sound too much like Clarkson in this.**

 **Disclaimer: all of the Selection characters belong to Kiera Cass**

People were pacing in and out of the studio, getting everything ready for another hour of the _Report_. I was rehearsing my lines, but my words were coming out as a jumble because of the butterflies in my stomach. Messing things up was my forte, but I could not afford to do that tonight.

I recited the speech to myself, "Illéa can and _will_ be a stronger nation. That is why w–", I was cut off by a toddler colliding into my legs.

"Mommy! Mommy! Come play with me!" the little girl said.

I sighed. I crouched down so I would be eye-level with her.

"Eadlyn, honey, mommy is busy right now. Why don't you play with Ahren?" I glanced over at my three-year old son. Eadlyn was always attached to her twin brother. However, tonight, he was occupied with another playmate. Kile. My best friend, Marlee's, four year-old son.

At that suggestion, Eadlyn scrunched her nose up in disgust.

"NO!" she yelled.

"Why not, darling?"

"Because he's with Kile!"

"What's so bad about Kile?"

"I don't like him."

"Why not?"

"Because."

I knew she wasn't going to give me more of an answer.

I sighed again. This always happened between her and Kile. They couldn't stand each other.

She looked up at me with such an adorable pout that I almost wanted to just skip the _Report_ this week and spend time with my daughter. _No. I can't. Maxon would get angry._ With everything that had happened between us the last two weeks, there was no doubt about that.

"Mommy will play with you later. Okay?" I would manage to make time for her.

"Okay." She said with her head hung low.

"Eadlyn, don't be sad. I know I haven't played with you in a few days, but I still love you."

At those last few words, her tiny arms wrapped around me. "I love you, mommy."

My heart ached to hear that. No one had said that to me in days. I closed my arms around her small body and embraced that moment. These days, with the amount of work that I had, I don't have much time to spend with my children.

Coming out of that hug felt wrong. "Mommy has a few things to do. Go play with Aunt Marlee for now." I watched as she toddled her way over to Marlee.

I had to concentrate on my speech. No more distractions. However, that was easier said than done.

"America," I heard my name from behind me.

I turned around. "What do you want, Maxon?" I said in a bitter tone. It had been going on like this for weeks now.

 _Flashback - 3 weeks ago_

 _I was in my office, writing a proposal for a new bill regarding the caste eliminations. I flexed my tired hands, taking a break. I walked over to where Ahren was playing on the floor. He threw a stuffed toy across the room, giggling when it landed so far away. I went to retrieve it, when Maxon came into the office with his nose buried deep in the papers that he was holding. He didn't even notice Ahren was there, until he almost tripped over a building block._

" _What the…" he said._

 _He looked at Ahren, and then searched the room for my eyes. When his met mine, they were full of disappointment. I wasn't supposed to let the kids into the study because of the mess they could cause. But I heard Ahren crying from my room. Since I had to finish some work in the office, I figured that I could just have him in here for a bit. He calmed down after he saw me, so I let him stay, in fear that he may cry if I leave him in the nursery again._

" _America," Maxon said sternly, "Ahren's not supposed to be in here." His eyes flickered to my hands, and saw the stuffed toy that I was holding. More disappointment covered his face._

" _I know, but–", I started._

" _He could mess up the work that we have spent so many years doing." He countered._

" _Maxon, he was crying. I couldn't just leave him in the other room, and I had all of my work here." I explained._

" _One turn of a back, and he could have ruined all of this," he gestured all around the room. "We can't have that. People would be wondering why we aren't making any progress with the castes. They'd think we aren't capable of ruling this country. They'd want us to step down."_

" _Maxon, that's the worst-case scenario." I said._

" _And worst-case scenarios can happen!" I could tell he was trying to keep his cool demeanor. "Remember what almost happened when I found out about you and Aspen?" his voice getting louder with each word he spoke._

Why? Don't bring that up.

" _Yes, I remember. But it's different now."_

" _It doesn't matter. What I'm trying to get at is that you need to use your head, America! Why are you so irresponsible?"  
_

 _Flashback ends_

I don't completely remember what happened after that. My mind had been all confused with everything going on around me. However, what I do remember is leaving the office in tears and sleeping in my own room that night.

"Don't mess this up." He said harshly, snapping me out of my thoughts. With that, he walked away.

And try I will. If I wanted us to be the same happy, married couple we were 1 month ago, I could not mess this up.

 **I hope you liked it, and please review!**


	2. The Fight for Love: Part 2

**Here's another chapter! This is just a 3 or 4 part mini-series inside this series of one-shots, if you understand what I'm saying.**

 **And did you guys see the cover of "The Crown"? I have mixed feelings about it. The dress was really nice, but the background looks too dark to me.**

 **Anyway, hope you enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: all of the Selection characters belong to Kiera Cass**

The lights in the studio seemed brighter than usual when I took my seat. I looked to my right to see if the twins were sitting still. Eadlyn was rocking from side to side in her little throne.

"Eadlyn, sit still ple–"

The cameraman started counting down, "We're going live in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1."

Gavril stepped onto the stage, looking happy as always. For a minute, I was jealous that he could be so carefree. Being a queen and a mother was hard. But being so stressed was one of the sacrifices I knew I was going to take when I said 'I do'.

I hadn't realized I wasn't paying attention to the Report until Maxon nudged my arm with his elbow, disturbing my thoughts. I turned my head to him, and he wore the same impatient look his father had always had.

"Go", he said out of the corner of his mouth. Even from one small word, I could hear all the resentment that he held for me.

"What?" I whispered to him.

"Queen America?" Gavril asked from in front of us.

 _Oh. I was supposed to say my speech now_ _._ "My apologies, Gavril", blushing deeply as I said that. I made my way over to the podium. The bright lights were blinding my vision. It felt like I was going on stage back home in Carolina. I remember my first performance when I was ten. I was so scared that I was shaking uncontrollably. However, when I started singing, all of the nervousness flowed out of me. I missed home, because it reminded me of my dad. He would say, "Kitten, I'm so proud of you", with tears in his eyes. I like my life at the palace, but sometimes, I just feel so lost without the constant guidance of my father.

When I got to the podium, I held my notes in front of me. I had to focus. No slip ups this time.

I took a deep breath to calm my nerves, and started. "Not everyone was born to a very fortunate family. I was one of those people. My family didn't always have enough to buy food and to keep the heater on in the winter. Not having much when I was younger allows me to understand what many of you are going through. That is why there are going to be relief fund buildings set up in each province. There, clean water, food, shelter, and money will be provided based on your situation. This program will be available for anyone who is in the fifth or sixth caste and is struggling. However, this doesn't all come magically. Seeing as we won't be having a Selection anytime soon, some of that funding will be pulled. Along with that, if you are a Two, Three, or Four, you have been very fortunate to have these survival necessities. Illéa can and _will_ be a stronger nation. That is why we need your help. Please donate to your local Province Services Office. Thank you."

There. I was finished. I turned away from the microphone, and faced the thrones. The twins looked incredibly bored, and I wasn't surprised. But when I faced Maxon, his eyes looked so cold and his face was stony, reminding me of the time when I suggested eliminating the castes way back in the days of the Selection. I took my seat next to him, and glanced over for a quick second. He had his eyes trained on one of the cameras and stayed expressionless. _What had I done wrong?_

After the _Report_ ended, I quickly made my way up to the third floor, with the twins in my tow. I dropped them off to the nursery, where Paige was waiting to take care of them for the night. We stopped at the doorway of the pale yellow room.

"Good night, my darlings." I said, giving a kiss on top of their heads.

"Good night mommy!" they replied in unison.

From the corners of my eyes, I caught of a glimpse of honey blond hair. I turned to see Maxon watching us from our room, with a longing look on his face. All of a sudden, I saw Ahren toddling towards him. "Daddy! Daddy!" he said when he reached Maxon.

"Story! Storytime!" he said excitedly.

"Sorry, buddy. Daddy has work to do. No story tonight." He said regretfully. "Good night, Ahren." He said, patting him on the head. "Good night Eady!" he shouted across to where Eadlyn was standing. And with that, he went into the room.

Ahren came back over and held his sister's hand.

Eadlyn looked up at me. "Why didn't daddy say good night to mommy?" she asked, with her big brown eyes full of concern. Ahren's blue ones were filled with curiosity.

"Eady, don't worry about it." I said while shaking my head. "It's grown-up things. Now, good night, my loves."

I walked into Maxon's and my room after bidding the twins a good night. The wall was filled with pictures of the Selection, our wedding, and the twins. I found Maxon sitting at the desk, with his head down, looking at some papers in a folder.

"Maxon?" I asked quietly. He just pretended not to hear me, and suddenly became more interested in his work.

"Maxon?" I repeated, a little louder this time. He continued to ignore me. This made me want to cry, because I knew he could hear me. I missed those days when we were so happy together. I don't even know why we were still fighting. I was just trying to sew our relationship back together, but he was just ripping the seams. The longing for my husband to talk to me, to look at me, was agonizing.

"Maxon." I said quite loudly, causing myself to be surprised. At that, he looked up from his work and stared at me.

"Why are we still fighting?" I asked. I wanted to know. _Why was he still so bitter to me?_ _Had I done something wrong?_

He laughed humorlessly. "Why are we still fighting," he repeated, "Why _are_ we fighting, America?" _Does this mean he wants us to make up?_

He continued, giving me no chance to speak. "I have no idea. Maybe it's because of you." _Me? What did I do?_ I was so confused. "How do you always manage to prove yourself unfit to be a queen?"

I was shocked. _What?_ I somehow managed to find my voice again. "What do you mean?" I said barely above a whisper.

Maxon looked mad now. "America, you've been slacking off these past two weeks. And you weren't supposed to mention anything about the Selection tonight. People will think we don't care about it. I told you not to talk about it!" _When did he even say that?_

I looked down, shame pouring through me. "It's just so hard being a mother and a queen." I complained quietly.

"What?" he said.

"I said that being a mom and a queen is so hard," I couldn't take it anymore. All of the anger that I had been holding back suddenly came up to the surface. "Especially when you put so much pressure on me." Each word that I said came out bitterer.

He backed up his argument pretty quickly. "Are you sure I put a lot of pressure on you? Or is it because you can't handle anything?" He shook his head. "You know, I should've just picked Kriss instead. Why did I even pick you?"

 _What?_ It felt like someone ripped my heart out of my chest. That's how much it hurt. Despite everything that happened between us, I still love him deeply. Didn't he love me? "What?" I said, repeating my own thoughts.

"I SHOULDN'T HAVE PICKED YOU!" he shouted.

Tears blurred my vision. This was too painful. I had to get out of this room. I walked backwards, stumbling on the bed. I regained my balance and ran out.

I made it to the Queen's suite before anyone could see me break down in tears. Once the door was shut, I sank down to the ground, crying. I have never felt like this in my life. I have never felt so betrayed, so unloved.

When I was about finished my breakdown, I went to the bathroom, cleaning myself up. I grabbed a towel, ran it under the sink, and wiped my tear-stained cheeks. I went to bed that night by myself. That was how it had been like for these last three weeks. As I was trying to sleep, the only question that came into my mind was 'Does he love me?'

The next morning, I told my maids not to help me get ready. I didn't want anyone to see me in the state I was. I slowly got up and trudged my way into the bathroom. I looked into the mirror. I saw a woman, just twenty-four years old, staring back at me. She would seem like she has everything. She's a queen, what seems like a happy marriage, and a mother of two. To the common outsider, I would seem to have the perfect life. But in my eyes, I was just a young girl, having too many stresses as a queen, on her marriage, and being a mother.

How was I supposed to be happy again? I was too stressed, too frustrated with life. Was my marriage falling apart? Does Maxon still love me?

I tried not to let this question bother me. I went to the nursery to clear my head. But when I entered, the first thing I saw was Ahren sitting up in his little bed. He looked too much like Maxon. That soft, golden hair, and the same beautiful lips. It was all too much for me to take. All the stress, everything that had happened between me and Maxon was too much. I suddenly felt dizzy, losing all sense of direction. My body filled with heat. "Ahren." I managed to breathe out, before I fell to the floor, my world turning black.

 **I hope you liked it! I know, I know. Maxon probably seems really out-of-character in this series. But he will change, I can promise that.**

 **I will try to update as soon as I can. Bye for now!**


	3. The Fight for Love: Part 3

**What! Another chapter already?! Yup. I decided this mini-series is only going to have 3 parts.**

 **Hope you enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: all rights _still_ go to Kiera Cass**

 _Maxon's POV_

I was walking out of an early morning meeting when I heard a high-pitched scream belonging to a toddler. At first, I thought I was just imagining it, and shook my head. Then I heard it again. It was coming from the royal bedroom corridor. My heart stopped. _Eadlyn. Ahren._ I bolted down the hall to where the nursery was.

"Mommy! Mommy!" I heard the voice say. Ahren. When I got there, I flung the door open, and saw my son's blue teary eyes staring up at mine. I felt a wave of relief. He was safe. Then I saw someone next to him, lying on the floor, unconscious. America. Panic ran through me. I immediately knelt beside her. _I'm so sorry,_ was the first thing I thought.

"Ahren, go find Miss Mary in mommy's room." I demanded.

He didn't move. He was just sitting on the floor looking at me.

"Ahren." I said as sternly as my voice could manage.

"No. I want mommy!" he said. I sighed. I had to get my wife to the hospital wing as fast as possible.

"Okay. Ahren, come with me." I said, giving in.

I looked to America and picked her limp body up. I ran to the infirmary as quickly as I could. When I got there, nurses stared at us. Not your everyday sight, a King carrying his unconscious Queen. One of those nurses acted quickly and said, "Put her here, Your Majesty."

I did as she said. I noticed America stir a bit when I was lowering her onto the bed.

"Maxon," she said weakly.

"Shh…Just rest, okay?"

She nodded her head a bit.

"Your Majesty." I heard a voice from behind me. I turned and saw Aspen there with Ahren in his arms. "I saw your son trying to keep up with you. Figured it would be faster if I helped."

"Yeah." I nodded. "Thanks." I walked over to him and took Ahren from him.

"Is mommy okay?" he asked, his voice full of worry.

I looked over to America, who was sleeping now. She looked so beautiful, with the sunlight catching her hair, making it glow. I made my way over to her while holding my son in my arms. I sat on the chair that the nurses just put beside the bed. "I don't know, buddy." I said sorrowfully.

Aspen went to the other side of the bed, holding her hand like he would a sister's. Although I knew I shouldn't, I felt a twinge of jealousy from that one small action.

"Mommy? Daddy?" I heard a voice that was unmistakably Eadlyn's. I looked to my right and there she was. She was holding Mary's hand, and let go of it to come to me. She gasped when she saw her mother on the hospital bed.

Thankfully, I was spared from having to answer the million questions she probably had. Dr. Ashlar walked in at that moment and looked at America sleeping so peacefully on the cot. "I'll need the room cleared for a checkup. Your Majesty," he directed his gaze at me, "you can stay."

Aspen and Mary each held a twin by the hand and guided them out of the infirmary. "Your Majesty, can you wake your wife up? Gently." Dr. Ashlar commanded.

I took America's hand and rubbed it soothingly. "America? Wake up, darling." I said. She moved slightly, but she didn't open her eyes. "America, my dear, wake up." That got her to be alert.

"Don't call me your dear," she mumbled. "Especially after what happened yesterday," shooting me a look as she said that.

Oh, yesterday. I had been so stressed. Her minor mistake just pushed me over the edge. Why did I even say those harsh words to her? They were probably the most regretful words I had ever said to anyone. They were out of my mouth before I could stop it. She would never be able to understand how sorry I was. I loved her with all my heart. There was nothing that could ever replace her. I wanted to scream at myself because I knew I was the one who had caused her pain.

"America, look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say any of those things to you. I love you more than anything in the world. If I could take away these past three weeks, I would. I just need you to know that nothing will ever change my love for you, okay?"

Tears welled up in her eyes. "I love you too, Maxon. Just don't ever do that again." I nodded, because I understood. I fully understood what she meant. I would never take my issues out on her, the twins, or anyone else for that matter. We stared so yearningly into each other's eyes, until Dr. Ashlar cleared his throat. I had forgotten that he was still here.

He looked at America. "We need to find out why you fainted, Your Majesty." He announced, while looking at his notes.

I frowned. "How do you know she fainted?"

"Word travels fast around here, Your Majesty." He replied. Right. The guards or maids probably saw the whole thing happen, and gossiped about it.

"Anyway, Queen America, prior to the event, what were you doing?" the doctor asked.

She paused for a second. "I'm not really sure, actually." America replied, looking confused.

"Alright," he said, scribbling down some notes, "Did you feel nauseous at all?"

"Kind of." She said.

"Okay," he answered with a happy look on his face, while jotting down some notes. "One last question. Have you been feeling tired lately?"

"Very." She told him. I hadn't known about her feeling tired. But then again, we haven't been spending much time together the past few weeks.

"Interesting." Dr. Ashlar said. _What was so interesting about my wife being tired?_ "If it's alright with you, Your Majesty, I will take a blood sample."

She hesitated for a moment. I doubt anyone liked needles. But she caved anyway. "Okay, you have my permission."

Fifteen minutes later, I watched as Dr. Ashlar took America's blood sample away to test. I told her to get some rest, since she said she was quite tired. In just a matter of seconds, she was already sound asleep.

 _America's POV_

I was dreaming that the twins were around five years old. I was sitting in the nursery, looking around the room. All of a sudden, I heard a giggle behind me. When I looked around, I saw Maxon holding an unfamiliar toddler. He probably saw my confused face and said, "America?"

"America?" I heard another time, but this time, less distant.

I was being pulled back into reality. It took time for my eyes to adjust to the white ceiling, white walls, white sheets. Where was I again? Oh, right. The infirmary.

"America." A loving voice repeated. I looked to my side and saw Maxon sitting next to me.

"Dr. Ashlar is here with the results." He said.

I turned my head forward to see the doctor standing at the foot of my bed, wearing an excited expression. _Please, tell me there's nothing wrong with me._

He started, "So, I have the conclusion. There is an explanation to all of this. There is a reason why you fainted and why you may have forgotten what happened before." There was a pause.

"So is anything wrong with me?" I questioned.

"There's nothing wrong with you. Your Majesty, you're pregnant."

 _Wait. What?_ _I'm pregnant? Or did I hear it wrong?_ My hands instinctively reached for my lower stomach. Dr. Ashlar smiled and nodded, just to confirm. Then, he left the room.

I looked over to Maxon, who was as equally surprised. Tears quickly filled my eyes, as well as his. He covered his hand over mine. And there we all were. The King, Queen, and Prince/Princess. The father, mother, and child. All happy again.

 **Tada! Hope you liked it!**

 **If anyone's confused, the baby was before their whole big fight.**

 **Please review! Bye for now!**


	4. The Scare

**So, here's a new chapter.** **IDK when I'll be able to update next, because of school. If I don't update by next Friday, just remind me.**

 **Anyway, I remember somewhere in _The Heir_ that something like this happened.**

 **And I also put Asperica in this one, because I think they are quite adorable when they love each other like brother and sister.**

 **I hope you enjoy this one!**

 **Disclaimer: all Selection characters still belong to Kiera Cass**

 ***Please review, cuz idk if you guys like these stories, so some comments or feedback would be greatly appreciated.**

"Your Majesty, we'll continue this meeting tomorrow?" Silvia asked. Although it was only noon, I could see that everyone else in the room was exhausted. This meeting had started since before the sunrise. Silvia insisted I didn't come to this meeting, seeing that I was just past thirty weeks in my pregnancy. She said that I would get too tired. But I had a duty to do to my country. Besides, with the baby kicking around so much, I haven't been able to get much sleep in these days.

"Yes. How about starting it at 8:00 am this time?" I jotted this down in my book.

"Perfect." Silvia said, replicating my actions.

With the meeting done, I had nothing to do for the rest of the day. I was walking out of the meeting room and down the hallway when a ray of sunshine hit my eyes, blinding me momentarily. I looked outside the window, seeing the gardens down below. With the amount of work I usually had, I didn't really have time to go anywhere. But today, I could finally relax outside.

From the distance, I could hear voices that were unmistakably Eadlyn's, Ahren's, and Aspen's. I turned the corner and saw them all engaging in a very happy conversation, with Aspen making wild gestures using his hands, and the twins giggling uncontrollably.

Aspen saw me, and said, "Hello, Your Majesty," with mock formality.

"Why, hello, kind sir," I said with the same teasing tone. I turned to the twins, "And who may these two lovely angels with you be?" I asked, tilting my head, pretending to be clueless.

"Eady and Ahren!" Eadlyn exclaimed, who burst into an adorable laughter.

I laughed too. "Would you three like to join me for lunch in the gardens?" I asked.

"Yes! Yes, mommy! Yes!" Ahren said instantly, jumping up and down with excitement.

We started walking, with the twins just a bit in front of us. "What did you feed them to make them so hyper today?" I asked Aspen.

He laughed, "I didn't give anything to them. Except my love." I looked over to him, and in those green eyes, I could see that he truly loved them, like they were his own children. There was a pause between us.

"So, lunch in the gardens? You don't have any work to do?" he asked.

"No, not this afternoon." I said.

"What about Maxon? Is he joining us?"

"No, he has a meeting." I said sadly. I wished that we could have more time together, the four of us– well five, now. Whenever I had free time, Maxon would be doing work or be at a meeting. Whenever he had free time, which was very rare, I would be occupied. And when we both had a bit of time, it would be at night, when the twins were both sleeping.

We were now at the entrance to the gardens. Eadlyn and Ahren were already running around outside, chasing butterflies. I looked to my right and saw a maid carrying a tray. "Hello." I said to her. Her eyes met mine. "Good afternoon, Your Majesty. Do you need me to do something?"

"Yes. May you please set up a lunch for the twins, General Leger, and myself?"

"Of course, Your Majesty! Everything will be ready in 10 minutes." she said enthusiastically. She started walking away, getting started on the task.

"Thank you." I called out.

I turned around to Aspen, only to see he was gone. I looked out to the gardens, and saw the twins chasing him. I couldn't wait until he had children of his own. They would be so adored.

I walked onto the path outside, breathing in the sweet summer air. I made my way towards Aspen, who was calling out, "…3, 2, 1! Ready or not, here I come!"

From my side, I heard a muffled giggle. I saw the twins hiding behind a bush trying to conceal themselves, but were failing desperately.

"Shhh! Ahren! Be quiet!" Eadlyn bossed around, in a loud whisper.

I couldn't hold it anymore. "Aspen! I found two little monsters here!" I shouted.

"Mommy!" Eadlyn whined.

I saw Aspen in the distance, slowly creeping to where we were. I made my way over to the kids, "My lovelies, you'd better run."

Ahren let out a cute scream and ran as fast as a three-year old could. He pulled on his sister's hand and she tried to keep up. Aspen chased them in a jog. They screamed even louder, attracting the attention of a few nearby guards, who chuckled at the sight before them.

Aspen caught both of them in his arms, and spun them around. They laughed really hard, making me giggle along.

The three of them made their way over to me. "Eadlyn, Ahren! You are both a mess!" I exclaimed. They truly were, hair tangled, clothes wrinkled, and a bit of dirt on their hands.

I started to brush their hands off, just when I heard a familiar ring. Fear shot through me. _The rebel alarm_. The rebels hadn't disturbed us in years. I looked to Aspen, who looked at me to establish his worries. I took one of the twins in my arms. It was getting hard to carry them, because of my growing stomach.

"Mommy?" Ahren asked, his voice full of concern, tears on the brim of his eyes.

"Shh, it's okay Ahren. Shh." I tried to soothe quickly.

Eadlyn was already in Aspen's arms, both of them clearly worried. I started to run for the palace, where the safe rooms would be, but was hit with exhaustion. Aspen, who was closely behind, noticed. "Mer. Give Ahren to me. Just take care of yourself. I can take care of him." I did as he said, handing Ahren off to him.

We darted to the royal safe room, which was thankfully located at the end of the hall. I could hear the guards shouting orders as I opened the big metal door. I ushered Aspen and the twins in, closing the door firmly behind me once I stepped into the cold room. We quickly made our way down the stairs, and arrived at a landing. We turned left and saw a door ajar. In the room, I saw Maxon pacing back and forth, running his hands through his hair. I could only barely pick up what he was muttering. Our names. "America. Eadlyn. Ahren. Kaden." We had already decided on our baby's name together, and almost broke when he said Kaden's name.

"DAMN IT! WHERE ARE THEY?!" he yelled, losing all control, making some maids draw back in shock.

Aspen and I walked breathlessly into the room.

"Maxon?" I said.

He turned, looking at us like we were illusions. "America," he breathed out in relief.

He ran to me and crushed me into a hug. "You're here. You're here." He kept on whispering into my hair.

I pulled back from him and cupped his face with both my hands. "Yeah. I am." I said, and put my lips to his. I wanted us to stay in that moment forever, feeling safe and alone. But that didn't last long.

Aspen cleared his throat. "Your Majesties. Sorry to interrupt," I blushed when he said that, "but your kids are getting a bit restless."

I saw Eadlyn and Ahren squirming in his arms. I took Eadlyn from his arms, and Maxon got Ahren.

"Thank you, Aspen." I mouthed, making sure not to agitate the twins with any sound.

"Anytime." He mouthed back.

Maxon had one hand holding Ahren to him, and the other on my lower back, guiding me to sit on a cot. The mattress made a squeaky sound when I sat down on it, while I was stroking Eadlyn's hair, soothing her. Maxon sat down next to me, and with his free hand, rubbed small circles on my back. I leaned my head on his shoulder.

"I'm so glad you're all safe." Maxon said quietly. "I can't lose you. I can't lose any of you."

"Me neither," I replied.

We stayed like that for a long time. We had moved Eadlyn and Ahren onto the other cots, giving them space to sleep. I guessed we had been down here for two hours, when a guard came up to us and said, "You can go up now, Your Majesty."

"Is it all clear?" Maxon asked, wanting to clarify.

"It was just a drill, Your Majesty." The guard responded.

There was a pause. "What the hell?! Are you telling me that I just spent my whole afternoon here for nothing?" he asked, clearly enraged.

"Well, I thought you knew, Your Majesty," the guard said timidly.

"WELL I SURE AS HELL DIDN'T!" Maxon shouted.

"Maxon, it's alright. It was just for our safety. Just in case something happens." I said, hoping to calm the tension down. It worked, his eyes instantly softening when he saw me.

"Okay," he said, slowing his breathing down, "Okay. When you plan another one of these, just tell me in advance, alright?"

The guard nodded, hurrying away.

I watched as my husband walked back and forth in the room, and eventually coming over to the cot again. Maxon mumbled something I didn't quite catch, and kissed me on the back of the head.

"Maxon, I'm going to get the twins. Can you help?" getting up as I said it. But when I turned back to him, I saw he was already dashing up the stairs, no doubt going to another meeting. He was so busy these days, and I wished I could help him, but being pregnant, it wasn't good for me or the baby if I did a lot of work.

I sighed, going over to where the twins were sleeping. I scooped Ahren, who was closer to me, up into my arms. I watched as Aspen make his way over and took Eadlyn in his. I looked down at Ahren. He looked so much like Maxon. I hope that my soon-to-be-born son will look like him, with blond hair so gorgeous it will make the gods feel jealous, and brown eyes so warm that any girl will melt at the sight of them.

We slowly made our way up the stairs.

"Did you know there was going to be a drill today?" I asked Aspen when we made it back to the main hall.

"Did I know there was going to be a drill? Yes. I scheduled it, and it was safer if neither you nor Maxon knew about it, so it would seem like a real emergency. But today? No. I scheduled it for yesterday, but it didn't ring, so I thought they would postpone it until another time. We were actually supposed to have a meeting for that this afternoon." He explained.

I took all of that in. "Thanks for clearing that up." I said.

We walked up to the third floor in silence. I walked slightly in front and stopped in front of the closed nursery doors. I reached for the handle from under Ahren, and pulled it. I pushed the door open with my back, and Aspen walked in. He placed Eadlyn down onto her bed, gently, and I put Ahren on his.

I walked to the center of the room, with Aspen quickly following suit.

I faced him and said, "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He said, shrugging it off.

"No. Really, Aspen. Thank you. You have done so much for us. How could we ever repay you?" I asked.

"You don't ever need to repay me. Just know that you have probably done as much for me as I have for you. Okay?"

I nodded. I stood closer and hugged him. It was just like the old times, except for the fact that I was the Queen now, I have two – soon to be three – children, and a husband who wasn't him.

"So much has changed, Aspen." I said. _What if I had never gotten chosen for the Selection? Would we still be in Carolina together?_ I mean, I love my husband, my children, and being a queen. _But what if things hadn't changed?_ I occasionally ask myself that question.

"So much has changed," I repeated.

"I know, Mer," he said, "I know."

 **I hope you enjoyed that one!**

 **I'm still open to any suggestions you guys have.**

 **aprouddemigod: I will be doing that chapter. I already have the intro written, but idk when it's gonna be up.**

 **guest: I'm sorry, but I probs won't be doing a honeymoon chap.**

 **Remember to review!**

 **Thx! Bye!**


	5. Growing Up

**To the people in Paris, my prayers and thoughts go out to you in such a difficult time.**

 **Stay safe. And to everyone else, #PrayForParis**

 **Disclaimer: all characters belong to Kiera Cass**

I sat on the bed in my room, looking around. I saw the books, filled with so many different characters, with so many different stories. My eyes then flitted over to the piano. I hadn't played it in a long time. I walked over to it, lifting the cover gently, opened the top, and readjusted some sheet music on the stand before sitting down on the bench. I let my fingers lightly skim over the top of the keys. I closed my eyes and let the music come before me. My hands were playing effortlessly after so many years of practice.

As I finished the piece, I heard a voice say, "That was beautiful, my dear."

I blushed and turned around to see Maxon, standing in the doorway with Eadlyn and Ahren holding his hands.

"Thank you." I said.

He came over to me and gave me a quick kiss. Eadlyn climbed onto the bench and sat next to me, her little legs dangling above the floor. Her chubby fingers started to plunk at the keys. Maxon and I laughed.

I felt a little tug on my arm, "Mommy! Teach me!" my daughter said enthusiastically.

I hesitated. With so much work to do, I wouldn't have a lot of time for this. "Alright." I said, not wanting to disappoint her.

"Teach me too!" Ahren said from beside Eadlyn. "Teach me! Teach me! Teach me!"

I laughed. "Alright, alright."

I got up off of the piano bench. Maxon lifted Ahren up into the air and dropped him where I was just sitting, ruffling his hair after our son was settled.

"Okay. First, put your right hand on the keys." I reached in between them to show them. They tried to mimic my hand placement, but didn't succeed. I first repositioned Eadlyn's hand, and then Ahren's.

"Good. Now, press down." I demonstrated, playing the middle C. I listened to them. Ahren plunked down on the key, almost breaking it. Eadlyn's was much more graceful, and it actually sounded quite pleasant.

"No, Ahren, honey. Gently." I played the note again. This time, he pressed so lightly that no sound came from it.

"Ahren, like this." I showed him. "See? Not too gentle, not too hard." He played again, and succeeded.

"Good job, my lovelies. Now, play the next note. D." I played that note, waiting for Eadlyn and Ahren to follow. Eadlyn quickly repositioned so her thumb would be playing it. When she did, it sounded just as good as her first note. However, when Ahren played it, it sounded like when I tried to teach Marlee.

I laughed, shaking my head. "Ahren, darling, look at how I am playing it."

After many tries, he still couldn't get it right.

He gave a long sigh. "Mommy. This is too hard. I'm going to play with daddy."

And without even waiting for my dismissal, he hopped off the bench to join Maxon, who was reading a book on the other side of the room. I sat down on the spot Ahren had just left.

"Eady, do you want to go play with Ahren?" I asked my daughter.

"No. I want to stay with mommy!" And she gave me the biggest hug a four-year old could give.

I laughed. "Okay, sweetie. Next, I will teach you how to play up until this note." I pointed to the High C. We made slow but steady progression. I was teaching Eadlyn how to play B, when Marlee came into the room. She was closely followed by Kile and Josie, hand-in-hand. Kile made a disgusted face when he saw Eadlyn sitting next to me. I ignored that, and turned to Marlee. She was holding a crying baby in her arms. Kaden.

I walked over to her, and took him into my arms, rocking him back and forth. I felt an arm wrap around my waist. I looked next to me and saw Maxon, using his other hand to play with the fingers of the baby I was holding.

"Hey," I started, "What happened?" I asked Marlee.

"I was in the nursery, playing with my kids. He was sleeping, and I think they were too loud, so he woke up. I tried to get him to sleep again, but I couldn't," she explained. "I'm sorry."

"No, no, Marlee, it's okay." I told her.

I continued rocking my three-month old son, who was making small whimpering noises. Maxon's hand gently stroked his face. I wanted to capture this moment. It was just so heartwarming, watching Maxon with our baby. It was so adorable how much he cared for the people he loved.

All of a sudden, I heard a high-pitched scream. Kaden started crying loudly.

"Shh, shh." I said to him.

I turned around to see Josie holding Eadlyn's hair, continuing to pull it. Eadlyn screamed out even louder, resulting in Kaden's cries to amplify. I bounced him up and down gently.

"Shh," I said again.

Marlee ran past me to where her daughter was sitting on the floor. "Josie! Let go of Eady's hair!"

She obeyed at once, freeing Eadlyn's hair from her grasp. Marlee went over to soothe Eadlyn, who was now crying. There was so much noise in the room, so I took the still-crying Kaden out of the room. In the halls, he let out a deafening cry, making a maid look at us. I quickly ran to the open nursery, and closed the door with my foot. I gently swayed where I was, hoping to calm him down, but that did nothing. I continued to rock him. I wondered if singing would help. Whenever Eadlyn and Ahren had been crying when they were infants, I would sing.

I started,

" _You are my sunshine, my only sunshine._

 _You make me happy, when skies are gray._

 _You'll never know dear, how much I love you._

 _Please don't take my sunshine away."_

I looked down at my son, who was still crying, but much less now. It had calmed him down considerably. I heard the door open, but I chose to ignore it, focusing on Kaden.

I decided to sing it again.

" _You are my sunshine, my only sunshine._

 _You make me happy, when skies are gray._

 _You'll never know dear, how much I love you._

 _Please don't take my sunshine away."_

When I finished the song, I looked to see that Kaden was sleeping soundly. I felt a kiss on my cheek. I turned to see Maxon, who was smiling very brightly.

"I love you." He said.

"I love you." I repeated.

"And I love you." He said, looking at Kaden. I gave my son a kiss on his soft cheek that smelled like baby powder. I handed him over to Maxon, who kissed his head, and lowered him into his crib.

I looked at my husband, and gave him a kiss. I loved him so much, and in that moment, I could tell that he felt the same. From the distance, I could hear little pattering sounds. I broke the kiss and turned my head to see Ahren and Kile in the hall. My arms were resting on Maxon's shoulders, and his hands on my waist.

"Let's go see if my baby brother is in here!" I heard Ahren say.

"I think he is. Your mommy and daddy are in there." Kile responded.

Ahren saw us standing in the room and said, "Hi mommy! Hi daddy!"

"Hello, Ahren. Hello, Kile. Do you want to see Kaden?" I asked.

"Yes mommy!" Ahren replied.

"Yes, Aunt America." Kile said.

I walked over to pick Ahren up, and Maxon took Kile. We went over to the crib and let them see the baby resting there.

"Wow. He's so tiny." Kile whispered.

I laughed. "Yes he is, Kile."

"Were we like that before?" Kile asked.

"Yes you were, Kile. You were just that small." Maxon said.

"Wow." He whispered in amazement. "But we're all big now."

"That's right." Maxon confirmed.

I heard Marlee's voice from behind us, "There you are, Kile. It's time for your snack now."

"Ok. Can Ahren come, too?" Kile asked.

Marlee looked at me, asking for consent. I nodded.

"Yes, Ahren can come." Marlee said.

Maxon and I put Ahren and Kile onto the ground, and they ran over to Marlee. She took them by the hands, and led them into the hall.

I turned back to Maxon. "I don't want them to grow up, Maxon."

"Me neither," he stated.

"I want them to be my babies forever." I said.

And he said, "Don't worry. They will be."

 **Sorry for the awkward ending. I didn't know how to end the story.**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoyed.**

 **As always, please review!**

 **Bye**


	6. Family Visits: Part 1

**Hi!**

 **I'm so sorry I've kinda been neglecting this story, but I have a new chapter up today!**

 **This one's a two-part story, so this chapter is basically an introduction to it.**

 **Hope you enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: all Selection characters belong to Kiera Cass**

"Maxon, are you ready?" I asked.

I sat on the bed in our room and watched as he readjusted his blue tie.

"Yes, I'm all done. And you, my dear?" he asked.

I looked down at my white knee-length dress. It was simple, yet elegant, with waves of fabric overlapping each other.

"Yeah. And you really don't need the tie. Or the suit jacket. We're only going to see my family," I said to him.

"I know, it's just–"

"Maxon, love, you don't have to look like you're going to a meeting everywhere you go." I told him.

He sighed. "You're right. There's just so much going on right now; I feel like I will have to go to one. The castes, the fundraising for the poorer provinces, the–"

I walked over to him and gave him a kiss to silence him. He didn't need anything bothering him. "Just relax for the day." I said.

He smiled. "What would I ever do without you?" He took off his suit jacket and tie, leaving them on the vanity chair. He looked younger without them. He looked more like the Maxon I knew before he had all these stresses as king.

I smiled at him.

A series of small knocks came from the door. I looked over at Maxon questioningly. I walked to the door. I was almost there when it flew open. "Mommy! Mommy!" a little voice exclaimed.

I kneeled down. "Kaden! Can mommy have a hug?"

I extended my arms forward. My two-year old son toddled to me and fell right into my embrace. I would never get enough of this. I love my children so much. I planted a kiss on his cheek when he looked up at me. He giggled and gave me a sloppy kiss on my cheek. I laughed.

"Oh, Prince Kaden!" said Paige, who looked and sounded like she just ran a marathon. "Please don't run around so much! You're always going everywhere!"

I laughed again, looking at my son. It was true. His hair was ruffled messily, his shirt was now in need of ironing, and one of his shoes was missing.

"And, hello, Your Majesties," she said, acknowledging me and Maxon. "I found one of His Highness's shoes on the floor. A butler almost tripped over it." She handed the shoe over to Maxon. "Anyway, I think Prince Kaden will now need new clothes to wear. I'll go get him changed."

"No, it's alright, Paige. You rest for the afternoon. We can get him dressed."

She looked at me, grateful, but not shocked. It was common for me to do things that the maids did, especially if it involved the children. I didn't want them to grow up with maids and butlers doing everything for them.

"Thank you, Your Majesty," she said, curtsied, and walked away.

"Okay. Let's get you changed." I said to my son.

I held Kaden in my arms while Maxon and I went to the nursery. I put him down on a chair, looking over at the closet.

"What colour does baby Kaden want to wear today?" Maxon asked.

"Blue!" he said enthusiastically.

I smiled. Kaden and I had the same fondness for that colour. However, other than that and his blue eyes like mine, he was so much like Maxon. They had the same honey blond hair, the same selflessness that I could see develop more and more each day.

"Let's see." I said, taking Kaden into my arms again and walking over to Maxon, who was at the closet. He put an arm around my waist.

"I like this one." I said, pointing to a baby blue polo. "Do you want that, Kaden?"

"Yes!" he replied.

When we were finished helping him change, Maxon looked at his watch and said, "It's two-o'clock. The car should be ready."

"Okay." I said.

He took Kaden into his arms, giving him a kiss. "Do you know where the twins would be?" Maxon asked me.

"They should be just finished their lesson with Silvia." I said. Today, they had an etiquette lesson with her.

We walked out of the nursery and down the hall together. "I'm so glad I have you." Maxon said suddenly.

"Me too. But why?" I asked.

"Well, I've just been thinking. You've done so much for me, and for the kids. You remind me so much of mother." I stopped walking. He hadn't talked about her in a long time, probably because of the pain.

"How?" I asked him.

"There's many reasons, my dear. First, you're so selfless like she was." The word 'was' lingered on his lips. "Second, you're very caring. She used to come into my room every night and tell me she loved me. Even if there was a meeting she had to go to, she would make time to come to me and say those words." He gave a sad smile at that thought. "And you're very much like that. You would do anything for the people you love. Remember that one time Ahren fell in the gardens? It was just one small scrape. But you skipped a meeting to take him to the infirmary." I laughed, because I remember he already stopped crying by the time he was in my arms.

"There's so many other reasons, but you know what's the biggest reason you remind me of her?" he asked.

"What is it?"

"It's because I love you both." I smiled. I turned to kiss him. Kaden, who was in between us, saw us kissing, so he gave me one on my cheek. My heart was overflowing with love.

Maxon pulled back, and I saw Kaden giving him a kiss on his cheek. I smiled.

From the end of the hall, I heard a voice call, "Ahren! Hurry up!"

"Eady! Wait!" another voice said.

"No! Ahren, you have to run faster."

I watched as Eadlyn sprinted down the hallway towards us, followed by a panting Ahren, out of breath. When they finally caught up to us, they were breathing heavily. "Ea-" Ahren started, but coughed. I rubbed his back. He finally managed to catch his breath and say, "Eady. Just walk next time."

"Why were you two running?" Maxon questioned them.

"Well…" Ahren started, but couldn't think of anything to say.

Eadlyn looked to her brother, helping him, "We wanted to visit Astra and Leo. Paige said to find you here so we could go together."

"First, it's Miss Paige, not just Paige." I said. It was important for them to know that even though they were royalty, they still needed to respect other people.

"And second, we are going to visit them right now." I told them.

"Yay!" they said. They immediately started walking.

"Do you think Leo grew even more cuter?" Ahren asked Eadlyn.

"Of course he did, silly." she responded, ever so confidently.

They walked faster, getting excited to see their cousins.

I laughed. "They don't need etiquette lessons. They should have more English ones." I told Maxon.

He laughed too, and wrapped an arm around my shoulder.

When we got to the driveway, the twins were already waiting outside the black car with tinted windows. The driver came and unlocked the car. Eadlyn pulled on the door handle and quickly went in, followed by Ahren. Maxon used one hand to usher me into the back. He got in, one arm still securely wrapped around Kaden.

And there we all were, driving away from the safety of the palace, into the comforts of my family's home. And I couldn't be any happier.

 **I'm sorry the ending was kinda off.**

 **But I had to end it somehow, so I hope you enjoyed.**

 **Please review! Bye!**


	7. Family Visits: Part 2

**I have a pretty long chapter for you guys today. 3000 words! Most of mine are only 1000-2000.**

 **I really liked writing this chapter and I hope you guys enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: all Selection characters belong to Kiera Cass**

We pulled up to the driveway of the yellow house Maxon had given us a long time ago.

I shook Eadlyn lightly, who had fallen asleep beside me. She moaned in exhaustion.

"Eady, darling, we're here," I said quietly.

She opened her eyes a bit, just to close them again, and sleep.

I laughed.

"Okay, Eadlyn. I'll carry you in, but then you'll have to get up."

She bobbed her head in understanding.

I lifted her up in one arm. "You're getting too big for me to carry," I complained, but did nonetheless.

"Ahren, hold my hand." I extended my left hand, and felt a small one fit right into my palm.

"Mommy, is Astra and Leo here?" Ahren asked.

"Are Astra and Leo here?" I corrected. He nodded.

"Yes, I think they are. But you need to say 'hi' to everyone else before you go play with them. Okay?" I told him.

"Okay," he responded.

When the car came to a stop, a guard came and opened the door.

Maxon stepped out, and I followed.

I saw the open front door of the house, and Leo standing at the entrance, jumping up and down.

"Ahren! Ahren! Look at the new car that daddy bought me!" he said. He pulled something out from the door and held it out for us to see. Sure enough, there was a small black racing car.

He ran onto the driveway with no shoes on and tugged Ahren's hand. "Come on, Ahren!" he said, overly enthusiastic.

"Leo, Ahren needs to go inside to say hello to everybody first. He'll be with you in five minutes."

Leo didn't let go of Ahren's hand and just walked with us.

"Aunt America, did you bring any strawberry tarts?" Leo asked. I couldn't help but laugh. "Of course I did!" I replied.

"I have them," Maxon said, holding up a box to show him.

Leo gasped. I got scared for a moment, before he said, "Kaden!"

Kaden, who was in Maxon's arms, turned his head and saw Leo. "Leo! Leo!" he said.

He stretched his chubby arm out.

"Kaden, let's go inside before you play with Leo." Maxon said.

We walked into the house, and the aroma of food filled my nose.

"Mmm, something smells good," I announced.

"Ames!" I heard May say. She tackled me into a hug. Even at 23 years old, she was overly enthusiastic about seeing me. I let go of Ahren's hand and wrapped my free arm around my sister. I missed her a lot.

"Hi May," I said.

She let go of me and saw Maxon. "Hello, Your Majesty," she said jokingly, adding a little curtsy at the end.

"Hello, my lady," he said with the same joking tone.

He went forward and hugged her with one arm, the other one still wrapped around Kaden. They came out of the hug.

"Kaden! You're so big now!" She said. She played with his hands a bit before turning to me and seeing Eadlyn, who stirred a bit because of all the commotion.

"Eady!" My sister said. Eadlyn turned her head a bit to acknowledge May, before she fell back into her sleep. We all laughed.

"Is this Ahren?" May asked. "Yes!" Ahren said, beaming.

She showered him with kisses. He squirmed back. "Oh yeah, we have some gifts for all of you. You can open them after dinner," she said.

"May," I complained. "You don't need to give us anything."

She just said, "It was Mom's idea."

"Mom, you don't have to give us anything," I repeated. My mom came out from the kitchen, wiping her hands on the apron tied around her waist.

"Oh, honey. I get you things all the time. And you can't say no this time." I gave a small smile. I was getting too spoiled, with the number of gifts I get from my family, foreign dignitaries, and Maxon.

She came to hug me. "I've missed you so much, honey."

"I missed you too," I told her.

"Grandma!" Ahren exclaimed, breaking this rare moment between mother and daughter. It was still odd for me to think of my mom as a grandmother. She still had the same enthusiasm as she did more than 20 years ago.

"Oh, Ahren!" she said, smothering him with a set of kisses.

It was so heartwarming to see my family together; someone that Maxon and I brought into the world together, loved by so many different people.

My mother quickly said hello to Maxon, Kaden, and a half-awake Eadlyn, who moaned in response.

Kenna, James, and Gerad came over to us and we all exchanged greetings. James went back to work after acknowledging us.

"He has a lot to do," Kenna told me, looking at my worried expression.

"But the whole family's here," I said. What I said wasn't all that true. Kota wasn't here because he never kept up with our family. And dad. Dad wasn't here. I wish he was, though.

She obviously thought what I was thinking, but chose to ignore it. "Yeah, but duty calls. Speaking of which, how is life as a queen? Still as demanding as ever?" she asked, clearly wanting to stray from the topic.

"Yeah. But I've got Maxon and the advisers. They help guide me through everything, and I'm quite thankful for them." I said. Mom saw that we wanted private time to catch up with everything, and took Eadlyn from my arms, and Kaden from Maxon's. I realized that Ahren had already run off with Leo. Maxon was engaging in a conversation with Gerad. I saw May, silent and alone, and took ahold of her hand. She looked at me, and I flashed her a smile. She returned it, and followed us over to the big red couch in the living room.

We curled up onto the seat and talked, just like the old times.

"Where's Astra?" I asked Kenna.

"Oh, she has an out-of-town dance competition for two days," my sister replied regretfully. This is one of the times where I wished we could just be a normal family. We could do everything together, and we wouldn't have to miss anyone.

"Oh," I replied.

Hearing the silence, May asked me, "How have you been doing?"

"Well, actually. Things are stressful with the castes and all, but overall, life is wonderful." It truly was, with a husband who I loved dearly, and three beautiful children, the joys of my life.

My sisters gave kind smiles.

"How's Maxon?" May asked.

"Charming as ever. But I wish I could help lift some weight off his shoulders. I wish I could just relieve some of his stress." I said.

"Oh, you can relieve his stress, alright," May answered. I felt my face go red. "May!" I said, swatting her arm. She burst into laughter.

"Is everything alright, my dear?" Maxon asked, scaring me a little when he put his hand on my shoulder.

May gave a little mischievous grin. I gave her the best glare I could muster up. But the whole situation was so ridiculous I smirked a bit.

I turned so I would be facing Maxon. "Everything's fine, Maxon." I told him. "We just got a little out of it. Now, go back to your boy talk."

He faked looking hurt, "Trying to get rid of me?" he asked.

"Yes, now go. Or else you won't be able to call me 'your dear' anymore."

He gave a feigned heavy sigh. "Okay. But just one more thing." He lowered his lips to mine, giving me a faint kiss, and I watched as he reluctantly walked away back to Gerad.

"You two are so adorable," May said, looking at me longingly.

"Have you found someone yet, May?" I asked, hoping to raise the spirits.

"No, I'm focusing on my art right now. When the time comes - if the time comes - I'll find someone," she said somberly. I hated how she doubted herself. But before I could speak, Kenna said, "Don't worry, May. It took me some time to find James, but when I did, I was happier than I had ever been before. Just keep looking."

She gave May a small, hopeful smile.

"Don't worry. I will," May replied, finally returning the smile, the small glimmer of hope.

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Dinner that night was wonderful. Although not as extravagant as the palace food, it was something warm and comforting.

The chicken was roasted to perfection, the salad was crisp and delicious, and the mash was the perfect blend of creaminess and flavour. I missed this food a lot. It reminded me of before the Selection, how we would have 'lavish' meals like this perhaps once every year. Now, my family could have these every single day, with the money the palace was still compensating them.

Dinner was mostly comprised of Maxon, my mom, Kenna, and I engaged in a conversation, talking about life at the palace and life at home. The conversation then diverged into political matters, which I had no interest in talking about at the time, so I ate my food in silence. I sat across the table from Gerad. We hadn't talked at all today, and I was hoping I would be able to spend some time with him later. I lightly kicked my foot at his. He looked up from his food in surprise. Realization dawned on him, and he smiled, kicking his feet at mine. This was a game we always played when we were younger when we were bored from listening to mom and dad's lengthy conversations. I was tuning out right now, just focusing on this evocative moment.

I was interrupted by a light tap on my shoulder. I turned and saw Eadlyn looking at me with her big brown eyes.

"Mommy? When can we have dessert?" she asked.

I let out a small laugh. Every night, she would ask that; she had definitely inherited my sweet tooth. I eyed her plate, noticing the heap of salad still lying untouched.

"After you finish half of your salad," I said. She never really had a strong liking for vegetables, and neither did I. She obliged and put a forkful of lettuce in her mouth.

Slowly, she finished a bit more than half, and turned to me, her mouth stuffed with food. She said something that sounded like, 'Mommy, I'm finished.'

"Chew slowly, darling." I told my daughter, happy to see her so eager for dessert.

When she finally finished swallowing, she turned to me and said, "I'm finished. Can I have dessert now? Pretty please?"

"Okay, but you only get one strawberry tart this time. No stealing other people's food." I told her. I thought back to the time where Ahren spent a whole night crying because Eadlyn had taken his strawberry tart.

She nodded her head vigorously, and looked wondrously at the strawberry tart I set before her.

I smiled, and because I couldn't help it, I gave her a kiss atop her head and said, "I love you, darling."

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After everyone was filled with food. we gathered in the lounge, where the electric fireplace was casting a bright warm glow. The children played in one corner, while us adults conversed in the center of the room. I curled up against Maxon, my head resting on his shoulder. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders.

We had been talking for about 10 minutes, when Mom got up and announced, "I'll go get the presents."

May got up after her to help. They walked down the hall, away from our view once they turned a corner into another room.

I looked over at our children, playing near the back wall.

"I really wish all of our kids could spend more time together. They seem to miss their cousins a lot," I said to Kenna and James.

They nodded in agreement.

We sat in silence for a bit.

"You know, if you want, you could come live with us at the palace. They would see each other every day instead of once every half a year," Maxon suggested. I was thankful that he had proposed this idea. If my family could be so near me all the time, I would be overjoyed. I looked up at him and smiled, pressing a small kiss to his cheek, telling him I approved, wordlessly.

Kenna sat there, contemplating the idea. James looked perplexed, not sure if this was a good plan. "I don't know. We wouldn't want to be such burdens to you, with the amount of work you already have," he said.

And before I could say anything else, Mom and May came back, with their arms full of gifts. I gawked at them.

I heard mom call to the kids, "Children, come here."

They all looked at us, and Leo exclaimed, "Yay! Presents!"

Kenna broke from her trance, looked at her son, and said, "Sorry, honey, they're not for you."

Leo pouted and Kenna enveloped him in a hug.

I sat up right when Kaden plopped onto my lap. I wrapped my arms around him, breathing in the scent of his baby lotion.

Mom cleared her throat, making us all divert our attention to her. "Okay, presents for the Schreave family," she said. My heart did a little flutter when she said the 'Schreave' family.

"Okay, Ahren." Ahren popped up from his place beside Maxon. "Here's your present." She handed him a wrapped box. I saw Maxon leaning to the side, whispering something to our son.

"Thank you, grandma," Ahren said.

Mom said, "And, Eady."

Eadlyn extended her arm forward, and said, "Thank you, grandma," copying her brother.

Her package was slightly larger than Ahren's.

"And, Kaden."

I took Kaden's small present and placed it gently in his arms. He looked at it, turning it over to inspect.

"What do you say, Kaden?" Maxon asked.

Kaden looked up at Maxon with wide eyes, not knowing how to respond. "You say, 'thank you grandma'," I whispered to him.

"Tank you, gramma."

Mom smiled and continued.

"I think you'll really like yours, America."

I reached out and held the large wrapped parcel in my arms. I wondered what it was. "Thanks, mom."

"Maxon."

Mom handed the final package to Maxon, who said, "Thank you, mom."

We watched as the kids unwrapped their presents, all very enthusiastic and happy with what they got. Ahren received a book about learning French, a subject he was very interested in studying. Eadlyn got 2 porcelain dolls, both designed to look like princesses. I couldn't help but notice one had red hair, and the other, brown hair. Kaden received fake round glasses and a wand, things that he had wanted for a long time, but we had never had the time to get. He clapped his hands excitedly as I put the glasses on him. The round frames gave the illusion of bigger eyes, making him twice as adorable. He looked like a character from a book, 'Harry Potter', I think.

He held the short wand in his hand and clumsily waved it around. Apparently, Maxon had gotten a new camera, and snapped a picture of him.

"Go on, darling, open your gift," mom said.

I looked at her questioningly, but she just nodded towards it. I tore at the paper apprehensively. What I saw when I lifted the paper off startled me. I immediately felt tears brim my eyes when I saw the signature on the canvas. It was my dad's. I let my fingers graze over the half-finished painting. It was a portrait of me, a tiara perched upon my head. Half of the drawing was still in pencil, but the other half was filled with luscious colours, enhancing all of my features.

This was before the Selection ended. This was before I was the Queen, before Maxon was truly mine. My father believed I could do it; that I could win it.

I let the tears slip out, and heard Kaden say, "Mommy?"

He used his chubby fingers and messily wiped my tears away. As much as I hated to, I ignored him and addressed my mom. "How did you get this?"

"Kota found this in our old house in Carolina. He sent it to us. It was one of dad's last paintings."

 _Kota? Why would he do something like this?_

"Because he wants to redeem himself," mom explained. I guess I had said that out loud.

"But why? Why now?" I asked her, the strain in my voice clearly evident. Maxon rubbed his hand on my arm soothingly.

"I don't know," she said. Wanting to avert from this topic, she asked, "But do you like it?"

"Yeah," I breathed out. "I love it."

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Later that night, when we were leaving, Maxon said to James, "You should consider what we said before. About staying at the palace."

James merely nodded his head.

"America, honey, I'm sorry if the present was upsetting for you. I could keep it for you until you feel you're ready," my mom said.

"No, it's okay. I really like it. It was just so surprising," I told her.

She gave me a small smile. "Good. Now, visit us again soon."

"We could invite you to the palace."

She nodded and sighed. "I'll miss you." She wrapped me in a hug. She gave each of my children a kiss on their cheeks.

"Bye grandma," they all chorused.

We bid farewell to the rest of my family. A guard quickly ushered us into the tinted black car.

Even if we were leaving my family, I knew my dad's painting would always remind me of them. And I felt comforted by that fact, because we would never be separated.

 **I hope you enjoyed!**

 **I'm planning to do a really dramatic plot for the next chapter, but I currently have no ideas for what to do. Do you guys have any ideas?**

 **Please tell me any suggestions!**

 **Please review! Bye!**


	8. Le Français

**I'm sorry I haven't been working on this story! I had a huge presentation that I just finished, so I didn't really have the time.**

 **I'm also sorry if this chapter isn't really good, because I got kind of unfocused, so it might be all over the place.**

 **And guys, this features a Maxon speaking French. Swoon!**

 **Without further ado,**

 **Disclaimer: all Selection characters belong to Kiera Cass**

"Vert." I said for the second time in a row.

Ahren looked at me in bewilderment.

He was now six, the age he should start learning a second language. He had chosen French, whereas Eadlyn had chosen Spanish.

We were in the parlour on a gloomy Friday evening. I had decided to teach them both the basics of the language before their tutors came in about a week, so here we were now.

"Vert." I said again. "Vert means green. V-e-r-t. Repeat after me, darling. Vert."

"Vurt," he said, stressing the 't'.

"No, listen closely Ahren. Vert," I tried again.

He looked up at me with confused eyes. "But, mommy! If there's a 't', then there has to be a 't' sound!"

I sighed.

"This is French. It's different than English," I explained.

"Can we try a different word?" he asked.

"Alright," I said. "Let's try, rose. It means pink. Rose."

"Rose," Ahren repeated.

"That was very good!" He beamed and gave a golden smile.

"Rose!" he said again.

I smiled and gave a kiss on his cheek, so proud of my little boy.

* * *

We sat there for another half hour, with Ahren absorbing the new information like a sponge.

"Your Majesty, Your Highness," I heard a familiar voice from behind me say.

I turned to see Mary curtsying to us with a smile.

"Mary, how many times do I have to tell you? Please don't call us by our titles. I'm America. And this is Ahren," I said, pointing to my son.

She just gave us a mischievous grin.

"Alright. I just wanted to inform you that your dinner is ready," she said.

"Thank you," I told her.

* * *

Ahren and I walked hand in hand down the empty hall. I remembered when these corridors were filled with girls, all eager to win the heart of the Prince. We walked past the front entrance, and I remembered how much I wanted to escape the palace. To get back to my old life, to be back home with my family. But, back then, I had stayed here for them, and I couldn't have been prouder of any other decision I had made. Not only did my family get the financial support they needed, but I also won the heart of my beloved husband.

But all the happiness was whisked away when we passed by the Great Room. I was reminded of that horrid day the tragic rebel attack had happened. Even after all these years, I think, what if? What if it hadn't happened? I might not be here. Eadlyn, Ahren, and Kaden might not be here. There may have been another prince or princess. And I wonder what would have happened if Queen Amberly was still here. She would surely love her grandchildren.

"America!" a voice called, pulling me from my thoughts.

I saw Maxon jogging down the hall towards us, his hair all messy, and his tie loosened. He was my imperfect yet flawless Maxon.

He slowed down as he got closer, and when he got to me, he put his hands around my face, and lowered his lips to mine.

"Hello, my dear," he said. Somehow, my heart still melted when he was like this. So perfectly mine.

"Hello, My Royal Husbandness," I said. He smirked, remembering the name he said I should call him.

"And hello, buddy," Maxon said to Ahren.

"Hi, daddy!" he said back. "Do you know what happened today?" my son asked.

Maxon suddenly looked interested as he held Ahren's other hand. "What happened?"

"Mommy taught me how to speak French today!" he exclaimed.

I laughed. There was still so much he had to learn. "He only learned some French today. Do you want to tell Daddy what you learned?" I asked.

We turned the corner into the dining room.

Ahren said, "Mommy taught me the colours! I know the rainbow and pink and black and white!"

"Wow! Okay, then. Qu'est-ce que c'est la couleur, hmm…, rouge en Anglais?" Maxon asked. I forgot he knew how to speak French.

"What does that mean?" he asked Maxon with a confused look.

We made our way over to our seats. Ahren took his seat next to Eadlyn, who was playing with Kaden. Maxon, being the chivalrous man he is, pulled my chair out for me to sit on.

I smiled at him, and he returned his own charming one back to me. It was these little things that made me love him so much.

"That means, what does the colour, 'rouge', mean in English?" he asked.

Ahren looked confident, and said, "Red!"

"Good job!" I said. "Do you remember the whole rainbow in French, darling?"

He shrugged his shoulders, then started, "Rouge means red, orange means orange, vert means yellow-"

Maxon cut him off. "Jaune means yellow. Vert means green," he said, ruffling Ahren's hair a bit.

"Oh. Jaune means yellow, vert means green, bleu is blue, and violet is purple," he said.

I gave little claps and Maxon joined in. Soon, Kaden was also doing it, not knowing why, though. Ahren gave us a small smile, but it eventually grew into a big grin.

"I'm so proud of you, honey," I told him.

"So proud."

 **I'm sorry, I didn't know how to end it!**

 **Btw, I have a story on Wattpad, and it's entirely mine.**

 **If you have a second, could you please check it out? It's called "Five Seconds".**

 **Also I have the lengthened version of The Times of Our Love on Wattpad.**

 **(The link doesn't work, so if you wanna see it, type in 'leea1358' to search it up.)**

 **Please review! Bye!**


	9. Reunited

**Guess who's back with another chapter!**

 **Yay! Two in one day!**

 **Hope you enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: all Selection rights belong to Kiera Cass**

I yawned as I looked over the papers scattered all around my desk.

I glanced at the clock. 2:27 am.

Angeles was asleep, the lights from the houses were all shut off.

The kids were asleep.

Maxon was asleep on the bed a few feet away.

Everyone was asleep. Except for me.

Sleep. _Sleep…_

The word was drifting around in my head.

I was tired. I could just close my eyes for a quick second and resume my work. So I let them shut for a minute.

 _Sleep…_

* * *

"America," someone said in an urgent tone, shaking me lightly.

I forced myself to open my eyes.

I was immediately hit in the face with blinding sunlight.

Had I really slept? I rubbed my eyes and looked at the clock. 8:15. I internally hit myself for not staying up and finishing that agreement for the trade.

"America, my dear," the voice said again.

"Hmm?" I asked sleepily.

I sat up and looked up to meet Maxon's worried brown eyes.

"You're needed down in the Great Room as soon as possible," he said.

"Why?" I asked.

"I'll tell you when you're finished," he said, being secretive. I was concerned.

I gave him a questioning glance, but he only nodded his head to the bathroom, instructing me to get ready.

For the first time in a long time, I got myself ready. My hair was still considerably tidy, so I kept it down. I brushed my teeth and washed my face quickly. I looked in the mirror and realized I had yet to change my nightgown.

"Maxon," I said loudly, hopefully loud enough for him to hear, if he was still here.

I waited as I listened to my voice echo around in the vast room.

"Yes?" he replied, his voice muffled slightly by the door.

"May you please get a dress for me?" I asked. I looked around, scanning the bathroom for any presentable dresses, but all there were was bathrobes.

"Yes," he said. "Do you want a specific one?"

"No preference," I replied.

And I heard his footsteps trail away. As I waited for him, I applied some mascara and a pale pink lipstick. The palace had certainly changed me. There wasn't one day where I would go without a hint of makeup on.

As quick as ever, Maxon returned, knocked, and said, "I'm going to open the door, alright?"

"Okay," I replied.

He came in, holding a light blue chiffon dress and a pair of white flats.

"Thank you," I said.

I stepped out of my nightgown and slipped on the dress and shoes.

I could feel Maxon's eyes staring at me. I just rolled mine.

"You look beautiful, my dear," he said. I doubted that and gave him a disbelieving look.

He saw my expression and said, "Absolutely beautiful." He gave me a kiss, before remembering that we had to be somewhere.

He took ahold of my hand and pulled me along with him. I followed him out of the room, and listened as he said, "This might be very awkward for you, but I think you should do this."

I instantly tensed up and he could tell, so he wrapped an arm around my waist and held me closer to him.

"What is it?" I asked quietly out of fear.

He tried to look sympathetic when he said, "It's your brother. Kota. He's downstairs."

All the blood drained from my face and I felt numb. "Kota?" I asked.

"Yes," he said, confirming my worst fears.

"I thought he was in Carolina," I said weakly, wanting to break.

"He said he wanted to come here to 'redeem' himself." Maxon made air quotes.

There was a pause.

"If you don't want to go, you don't have to. Just tell me," he said, concern lacing his voice.

I gave a timid nod, and said, "I'll be alright. But can you stay with me?" I asked.

"Always," he said, adding a small smile.

And that was enough to make me sure that I could talk to Kota.

* * *

The Great Room's doors were opened, and I could see my brother with his back to us, looking out of the windows. I hadn't seen him in years, and wasn't really looking forward to this conversation.

I looked to Maxon nervously, and he gave me a reassuring nod.

With all the courage I could muster up, I said, "Kota." That word made me wince slightly. Maxon noticed, and gave my hand a squeeze.

I watched as my brother turned and walked towards us.

"Hello, Your Majesties," he said, bowing with a smirk I didn't miss. At least he had the decency to be half nice.

"How are you, America?" he asked. There was obviously something behind this.

"Well enough," I answered with a glare.

"And how are my niece and nephews?" he asked, not bothering about Maxon.

"Wonderful, and quite frankly, I think they should be very appreciative that they don't know about you," I said through gritted teeth.

He looked hurt, but it was easy to see through the act. He probably wanted to be offered some job position at the palace to earn even more money. He was kissing up to me by using my children as a lure.

"Now, America, no need to act like that."

I gaped at him. Does he even know that I'm his queen?

"Cut to the point, Kota," I said.

"I heard that there is an art director needed here at the palace. Do you think you could possibly consider me?" he asked. Nothing had changed. He was still the jerk I had grown so distant from. Being the head of something at the palace was a big position. And it was definitely not something suitable for Kota.

"No," I said simply.

"Why not?" he questioned.

"I could list off a hundred reasons why not. Let me start. First, you left us when we needed help the most. We were struggling. We were starving, Kota. And where were you? At some art convention, talking about how wonderful your sculptures were?"

"America, I was being independent. I was making my own living; putting myself out there in the world."

I looked at him in shock.

"Are you serious? Kota! Get it in your head! You weren't being independent! You were being the worthless traitor that you are!" I said a bit too loudly. Maxon squeezed my hand, not wanting to see me like this.

He scoffed. "Me? A traitor? How about you? You were cheating on your prince, and you should feel blessed that you are still alive." Why did it seem like in every worst scenario, someone had to bring this up? Tears quickly pooled in my eyes. That's not how I wanted this day to go. "He could have had you executed but he spared you. You're saying that I'm the worthless traitor? You are the worst-"

He was cut off by Maxon, who said threateningly, "You will not speak to my wife this way. Now leave my home before I send guards for you."

I couldn't make out Kota's face because of the tears blurring my vision.

I heard him mutter something and walk away.

When I was sure he was gone, I turned and cried into Maxon's chest. He held me tightly, and said, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, America. I didn't know he would do that."

He rubbed his hands soothingly up and down my back as I continued to cry. I was glad no one else was in the room to see this.

Suddenly, I wasn't sure if I wanted to spend the whole day doing work anymore. I wanted to stay cooped up in my room, thinking everything through.

But there was one thing I was certain about.

I would never let my children know about Kota. Ever.

 **Hope you enjoyed that!**  
 **That will probably be the last chapter until next week.**

 **Please review! Bye until next time!**


	10. My Little Baby

**I think that America loves her children so much to the point of being overprotective of them, so I wanted to write about it.**

 **This one-shot isn't as long as my other ones, but I'm hoping that over the winter break, I'll be able to write more, meaning LONGER CHAPTERS AND MORE FREQUENT UPDATES!**

 **Hope you enjoy**

 **Disclaimer: all Selection rights belong to Kiera Cass**

I looked over the papers in my hand and sighed. _How am I going to do this?_ The Italians wanted a draft of the new amendment by tomorrow.

I ran some lines in my head, testing the words out. _Following the security issues of the Italian Royal Family, Illéa would like to station troops in the Italiano Palazzo Reale in return for assets._ No. That sounded too forceful.

I tried to reconstruct the sentence in many different ways, but none of them were working. I was mid-way through coming up with another sentence when the doors burst wide open, making me jump in surprise. Marlee ran in, looking distressed. She paused at the door to catch her breath.

"America! You're needed in the infirmary," she said.

 _The infirmary?_ My blood ran cold. "Why?" I asked.

"Kaden," she said.

That was all it took to get me to dart out of my seat and run to the door.

"America, slow down," Marlee said, taking my hand.

I turned around to face her and said, "Marlee, he's my baby! I need to go!" I pleaded. I whipped my hand out of her grip and sprinted down the hall.

I made it down to the infirmary in a rush. My breath was short from all the running, but I didn't care. I had to find Kaden. I looked left and right, along the rows of beds. And when I saw my son lying on a bed in the corner, so small, I felt my heart fall.

I walked over and saw Maxon sitting on a chair next to the bed, holding Kaden's hand.

I watched Kaden's chest rise and fall slightly. His eyes were shut. Something in me broke. _What if it was because I hadn't taken better care of him that got him here? What if this was all because of me?_

"America," Maxon said, catching my pained expression. I watched as he got up from his seat and walked to me. "It's alright," he said, wrapping me in a hug that considerably comforted me. "He's alright. He just has some mild pneumonia. Don't worry about it."

 _Don't worry about it?_

"B-but I'm supposed to protect him. I'm supposed to always be there for him." My voice was now no louder than a quiet murmur. "I'm supposed to help him, not watch as he's lying on some hospital bed, all we-"

He cut me off with a kiss. "My dear, you are the perfect mother for my children. I wouldn't have it any other way. And I want you to know that this isn't your fault," he said. How is it that he always knows the right things to say when I'm like this?

I looked at him with hurt in my eyes. "But he's _my baby_ ," I said.

I diverted my gaze from Maxon and looked at my three-year old son.

I broke free from Maxon's hold, made my way over to Kaden, and picked his small cold hand up. I felt Maxon's hand on my lower back, telling me to sit down. It felt like I had lost sense of what was reality, but I managed to sit on the chair.

"Kaden, honey," I started. "I'm so sorry that I wasn't better. I'm so sorry I didn't take care of you enough. But please, my darling, get better soon."

I felt my eyes well up. _What had made me so weak? I cry because of every little thing now._

"I could have made sure you were alright. I could have done everything for you, but I didn't. I'm so sorry. But what I just want to say is that I love you," I said.

I watched as the tears dripped from my cheeks onto Kaden's hand.

I don't know how long I stayed there with him, holding onto his hand, and pressing kisses to his forehead.

When I finally looked out the window in the corner, I realized I had been here for hours. The sky was pitch black, the world immersed into nighttime. Maxon had already went back upstairs with Eadlyn and Ahren, who came to visit for twenty minutes.

I yawned. I was so tired. So, so, tired…

* * *

"...mommy, it hurts," I heard a distant voice say. I opened my eyes and saw Kaden sitting up on the bed. Relief ran through me. He was alright.

It was now morning, and I was extremely hungry, having skipped dinner. But I couldn't care less, because my son was stuck here.

"Mommy, it hurts so much," he complained. At those words, a nurse came to us, curtsied, and said, "Your Majesty, Your Highness." I nodded my head in acknowledgement. "Prince Kaden, does your side hurt?" she asked.

"Yes," he said shyly, looking at me.

"Well, I'll give you something to help, if that's alright with your mommy," she said, looking at me to ask for permission.

"Yes, of course that's okay," I replied, with an unintentional tone that made it sound like thinking otherwise would be absurd.

She curtsied again and walked away to get the medications.

When she was out of earshot, I said to Kaden, "I'm so sorry that this ever happened, honey. Please forgive me."

"What did you do, mommy?" he asked.

"It's what I didn't do. I wasn't there for you," I said. Although I knew it wasn't all my fault, I couldn't stop blaming myself. The tears that I didn't want to make a reappearance welled in my eyes again.

"Mommy, don't cry. I'm okay. I'm big so I can take care of myself now," he said, while using his small hands to rub mine soothingly.

I sighed and smiled sadly.

I had always known that my children meant the world to me. But now, I was more sure of it than ever, and because of this, I knew I would do anything for them.

 **I hope you enjoyed that!**

 **Please leave reviews, comments, or suggestions for upcoming one shots! (I'll take all ideas into consideration)**

 **Bye!**


	11. Christmastime: Part 1

**Hi! I know this isn't a long chapter, but it's important.**

 **And the reason I wrote about Christmas and not any other holiday is because in _The Selection_ , Kiera said that they celebrated Christmas, so please don't ask why I'm not writing about any other celebration. Also, I wanted to make this story as canon as possible, so I thought that this was a good time for everything that's happening in the next chapters. But I think I should've done part of this before, but it's too late to change it. Whoops!**

 **Anyway, the next few chapters are going to be in a series, and it's probably the most bittersweet thing I've ever written.**

 **I'm predicting that this whole story will go up until probably 22 chapters.**

 **Hope you enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: all Selection rights belong to Kiera Cass**

Christmas was two weeks away. These were the joyous times of the year, when maids bustled around, putting wreaths on doors, replacing the white tablecloths with festive red ones. And obviously, who could forget Maxon putting up mistletoe everywhere when he thought I wasn't looking. It was just another excuse for him to sneak me kisses in between meetings and meals.

I sighed as I looked around the Great Room at the merry spirits of everyone.

"Mommy?"

"Yes, Eady?" I replied, still surveying the room.

"Where's the Christmas tree?" she asked.

I glanced around, realizing that it oddly wasn't here.

"Hm, I'm not sure, darling," I told her. "We could ask some of the staff to bring it up," I said, smiling at her. My daughter had always loved decorating the tree, while Ahren was more keen on running around the halls with streams of garlands in his arms.

She beamed back at me and nodded her head vigorously, with a cheeky grin planted on her face.

* * *

In no time was the 30 foot high tree transported into the room. I first thought the height of it was a bit excessive, but eventually grew accustomed to it compared to our considerably small tree back in Carolina. This was a palace, so who was I to blame?

Eadlyn, who had an eye for design, was already commanding maids and butlers where to put the ornaments.

"No, Justin," she said with a heavy sigh. "You need to put it there." She pointed to the middle of the tree.

"Here, Your Highness?" he asked nervously, not wanting to disappoint her.

"No. There!" she said with annoyance. She crossed her arms and rolled her eyes.

"Eady, don't be like that," I said, wanting to put off the pushy ways my daughter was acting. "Justin, you can put it wherever you like," I told him. He looked grateful for me, and simply tacked the ornament on.

* * *

After an hour or so, the tree was finally finished. I was stunned by how beautiful everything was. I walked to the side of the room and dimmed the lights. I looked at it in awe. The soft fire from the candelabras and the twinkling lights on the tree cast a heavenly glow, illuminating the room. The palace was filled with warmth and joy. It was truly majestic.

But all the happiness and excitement obliterated when Maxon ran into the room, looking fearful. And in my head, the saying, 'You can't have the good without the bad', played. He took my hands and said, "America. You need to go to the hospital wing." _Why does it seem like every day I need to go there? It's probably Ahren who tripped and fell over the garlands again._ Nonetheless, I grew afraid.

And he confirmed my worst fears by saying, "It's Kenna. She's had a heart attack."

 **I hope you enjoyed that!**

 **I might post another chapter either today or tomorrow.**

 **Thanks for reading this story!**

 **Please review. Bye, and have a great day!**


	12. Christmastime: Part 2

**Small edit made at the end of the last chapter. It's very small, but it makes all the difference.**

 **I'm sorry if I'm responsible for any sadness or anger caused by this chapter.**

 **I honestly teared up writing this. (Yeah, I write too many sad chapters. I have another story (what if the rebel attack didn't happen) that basically consists of only sadness) Their sisterly love is so strong, and then it gets shattered. Just like that.**

 **I suggest listening to Taylor Swift's "Christmases When You Were Mine" while reading this (don't pay attention to the lyrics; just the music)**

I heard a voice inside me scream.

 _Kenna!_

I lifted up my skirts and ran to the infirmary. The world passed around me in a blur. When I got there, I saw my family surrounding a bed.

My stomach lurched when I saw my sister, unconscious and white as a sheet, on the bed. The smell of the antiseptic around us sickened me.

I watched as my mom brushed Kenna's auburn hair back from her eyes.

"My baby," she mumbled.

 _Kenna. Kenna..._

 _What are you doing here? You're supposed to be at home, getting ready for Christmas. You're not supposed to be lying on a hospital bed._

The unsteady beeping of the heart monitor seemed to be the only sound I processed.

May saw me and nodded her head somberly to acknowledge me. She moved so I could hold Kenna's free hand. I rubbed small circles on her hand.

Images of us flashed before my eyes. Two little redhead girls playing at the park happily under the sun. The same two girls, now teenagers, laughing about some forgotten event. The girls, now adults, visiting each other and greeting their nieces, nephews, and brother-in-laws. I thought back to last Christmas. My family came to the palace, and Kenna told us all about the wonderful gifts she had gotten us. Thinking back to those sweet memories brought tears to my eyes.

My voice broke as I quietly said, "Kenna, please don't leave us." I looked at her face, wishing I could see her green eyes with joy beaming in them.

"I love you," I said. I felt a tear make its way down my cheek and watched as it dropped onto my sister's hand.

I suddenly heard a long beep. I looked back to the monitor with wide eyes, and saw a flat line. _Kenna..._

Commotion happened all at once. Doctors and nurses swarmed around us, instructing us to move.

They drew a curtain, separating her from us. We held onto each other's hands for dear life.

 _Kenna, why are you making me so scared?_

More memories made their way through my mind. There was one that stood out. We were running up and down the street one sunny day when I fell and scraped my knee. She, being the caring sister she is, yelled for help. I eventually got bandaged up by a neighbour, and I remember mom giving me some of my favourite lemon water so I wouldn't cry. But what I remembered the most was that she didn't leave me, even to get help. Kenna didn't ever leave me. She can't leave me now, she just can't.

The curtain finally opened again and a doctor walked towards us. I squeezed my mom's hand, hoping for the best.

I watched my life crumble as the doctor gravely shook his head.

"I'm sorry, but she couldn't be saved. Her heart was simply pumping too quickly, and…"

His words didn't matter to me. It doesn't matter how it happened. All I knew was that my sister...

My sister was...gone.

I walked closer to her. This all happened so fast, too fast.

I was at her side when I couldn't think straight anymore. My mind was going everywhere. I barely processed as I fell to my knees and let out an ear-shattering scream. I cried, wishing she would somehow wipe my tears away, just like she had done when we were younger.

I held tightly onto her cold, limp hand, pressing it to my lips, pathetically hoping that she would squeeze my hand back. _Kenna..._ I cried more. _KENNA! Come back to me…you can't leave me…_

I looked up at my sister's body, wanting this all to be a nightmare. When I wake up, I can call her and tell her about this crazy dream that would never happen in reality. I pinched my eyes shut, trying to block everything out.

But when I opened them again, the first thing I was met with was Kenna's lifeless form. That's when I knew I wasn't dreaming. A sudden wave of nauseousness coursed through me.

I shot up, ran to the nearest sink, and heaved up my lunch.

My body was shaking as I looked into the mirror, back to my perished sister.

 _Kenna...I need you. Why did you leave me?_

 **I'm so sorry for that...**

 **Please don't hate me...**

 **Please review, bye.**


	13. Christmastime: Part 3

**Please tell me if my scenes are happening too quickly, cuz when I'm writing, they seem to happen slowly, but when I'm editing, they seem too quick.**

 **Anyway, hope you guys enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: all Selection rights belong to Kiera Cass**

The infirmary was cold and bare. I had spent a whole two nights here, not wanting to leave my sister. But sometime in the early morning of the first day, they had taken her away.

It was nearly noontime now, and everyone else had left, leaving me staring at the floor. I felt as if all the life had been drained from me, just as surely as Kenna's had. I was sick of crying. My eyes were probably red and puffy from all the grieving I had done yesterday.

It all happened too suddenly. Not even one week ago, I had two sisters. Now, they were both gone. One deceased, the other swallowed up in sadness, like everybody else.

The door suddenly opened and Maxon walked in with a tray full of food. Somehow, that made my stomach turn.

"America?" he asked quietly, testing the waters.

I didn't respond. I couldn't. It seemed like my mind had detached from my body. I was still shocked and mourning, so I sat fixed to my chair.

He set the platter down on a table and pulled up a nearby chair to sit next to me. "America, my dear. I know you're still upset over everything, but please, you have to come back to us." He held my hand gently.

"You've been cooped up in this room the past two days. You haven't eaten, you haven't drunk, and I'm sure you haven't slept. Mary has been taking away trays that haven't even been touched." He was silent for a moment. "Did you even know she came here?" he asked. Everything he said had been true. Kenna's death had really shook me up because it was so out of the blue. I didn't even have time to say goodbye.

I didn't say anything. I missed Kenna so much. I wanted her here with me right now. I felt nauseous again. These waves of sickness had come every now and then ever since her death. But I had nothing to throw up, because I hadn't eaten anything.

"Look, America. Your sister wouldn't have wanted you to be like this. She would have wanted you to take care of yourself."

When I didn't respond, he sighed and said, "Please don't do this. I can't watch you do this to yourself. I can't watch you break, while I'm just standing back here."

His voice broke as he said, "America. Your country needs their queen back. My children need their mother back. And I...I need my wife back."

He made me realize what I had done. For the first time, I lifted my head to look at him. His hair was a tangled mess, and I saw his eyes, tired and hurt. _How could I have been so selfish? I've neglected everyone._

His stiff posture somewhat relaxed. "America," he said with a quiet smile. He reached up to push a piece of hair out of my eyes.

He sighed, and his smile grew, but his eyes were still exhausted. _Did I really make him so worried?_

My eyes teared up. "I'm sorry," I croaked out, after so many hours of silence.

He immediately wrapped me in a hug, putting his arms protectively around me. He brushed my hair softly as I wept into his chest.

"I'm so sorry, Maxon," I mumbled, my voice muffled by his shirt.

"Shhh. It's okay," he soothed. "I know this world is cruel, but know that at the end of the day, you can always come back to me. I won't mind. I would do anything to spare your troubles because it kills me to see you like this." My heart broke.

He said, "So, please, my darling. Please don't cry."

We stayed there for a long time. I didn't move, because it felt comforting to have my husband hold me. Every once in awhile, he would kiss the top of my head, and tell me everything would be alright.

A knock on the door interrupted us, and Maxon gravely said, "Come in."

I turned my head, and from under Maxon's arm, I saw Mary come in. She looked surprised to see that I had moved from my previously frozen position.

"Your Majesty, you have been called up for a meeting," she said. My heart dropped in disappointment. I wanted him to stay, but I knew he had to go.

He sighed and leaned back into his chair. I felt so cold again. I held on tighter to the back of his shirt. He just looked at me sadly with regret, before placing a soft kiss on my lips.

"Maxon," I said quietly. "Can't you stay?" I already knew the answer, though.

"No, my dear. I can't," he said sorrowfully. He stood up, kissed my head, and said, "Take care of yourself."

Before I knew it, he rushed out of the room, leaving me looking at the door longingly.

After a few moments of silence, Mary said, "Your Majesty, you should eat. Your food's getting cold."

I watched as she walked to the table and picked up a strawberry tart, one of my weaknesses. But somehow, my stomach lurched at the sight of it. She brought it to me, but I shied away from it.

"Your Majesty, please. You have to eat," she said, concern lacing in her voice.

I simply shook my head slightly.

She looked at me worriedly.

"Your Majesty, is anything wrong? Do you need to see the doctor?" Mary asked.

"No. I'm okay," I told her.

 _But was I?_

I guessed I wasn't, because a sudden rush of dizziness came to me. I saw black spots dancing around in front of me, while the world swayed back and forth. I pressed my hand to my forehead and closed my eyes.

"America?" Mary's fuzzy voice asked.

I used my free hand to grip the chair tightly, making sure I wouldn't faint.

It felt better. My hearing became clearer, and I could just make out Mary saying, "...the doctor."

When I opened my eyes again, I saw Dr. Ashlar sitting on the chair opposite of me.

"Queen America. Are you feeling alright? Mary told me you looked dizzy," he said.

I nodded.

He looked at me suspiciously and said, "I'm going to do a check up on you. Is that fine?"

I nodded again.

He took my pulse and looked at my pupils, recording notes in between. After he was finished, he asked, "Your Majesty, have you been eating?"

I lowered my head, a straight giveaway. He sighed and wrote it down onto the paper.

"Okay. I know it's been hard these past few days, but has there been any other behaviour or change you have noticed?" he asked.

"Yes," I said quietly. The doctor looked at me expectantly. "I've been feeling nauseous."

He put it down on his paper and asked, "Has there been anything else?"

I shook my head.

"Very well. Please don't be shy, but have you had any missed cycles?" he asked.

I widened my eyes in realization. _I had. Oh my God._

I could only manage to nod my head.

He looked at his notes, confused, and said, "Well, Your Majesty, I'm not sure if my suspicions are correct. But I do believe that you may be pregnant."

 **Hope you enjoyed!**

 **And yay to another Maxerica baby (maybe...)**

 **Please review! Bye!**


	14. Christmastime: Part 4

**Last chapter of this mini-series!**

 **Warning: Fluff :)**

 **Disclaimer: all Selection rights belong to Kiera Cass**

Pregnancy is not fun. That is all I have to say about it. When Dr. Ashlar confirmed that there was a baby there, I was ecstatic, but when I got morning sickness again and again, I was the opposite.

It was now 3 am. I rolled over in the bed, readjusted the pillow, and tried to sleep again. But I didn't want to. I kept my eyes open, looking out the window at the star scattered night sky. I sighed and closed my eyes. Thoughts kept drifting into my head. _Is the baby a boy or a girl? What is he or she going to look like?_ I hadn't told Maxon about the baby yet. I had been waiting until Christmas, but my patience had a limit. The twenty-fifth was only one week away, but to me, it seemed like an eternity.

I shifted again on the bed, moving the covers a bit. I was now facing Maxon. I inched closer to him so that I could feel his deep breaths against my bare neck. I couldn't express my gratefulness for this life. I had been chosen out of thirty-five of the most eligible bachelorettes in the country to be the prince's wife. Now, I was the queen, and my darling husband and I are expecting a fourth child.

With a smile, I traced Maxon's lips with a gentle touch. The moonlight illuminated his face, giving him the same youthful glow he possessed when he was still the prince. I traced his jawline with the tips of my fingers.

I must have woken him up, because he smiled sleepily and wrapped his arms around me. He held me tight to him, and I didn't object...until I felt nauseousness build up. I jumped out from his hold and barely made it to the toilet before I emptied my dinner. I gripped the edges of the toilet bowl and watched as my contents heaved out before me.

I felt my hair being pulled back from my face.

Over the sound of my gagging, I could just make out Maxon worriedly say, "My dear, are you alright?"

I continued to throw up as Maxon ran his hand up and down my back. When I was finished, I walked to the sink, and turned the tap on. I heard the water rushing as I felt yet another rush of dizziness. I closed my eyes, put my head down, and held onto the counter.

"America, tell me what's wrong."

The sick feeling subsided and I opened my eyes to see a distressed Maxon.

I just shook my head and rinsed my mouth. I turned the tap off and walked to the toilet to flush it, just to realize it had already been done.

"America, please. You have to tell me. You can't do this to me again. You're making me worried sick," he said, hurt deep in his warm eyes.

I simply shook my head and said, "I'm fine. Just go back to sleep, Maxon. Don't worry about me."

He widened his eyes. "Don't worry about you? You're my wife! You're the most important thing in my life. If I fail to protect you, and you somehow get hurt, I'll go insane! Do you realize how much you mean to me?"

 _I'm really hurting him, aren't I?_

"Maxon…"

He walked to me and held my waist.

"America." He sighed and looked at me painfully. "Remember that day in the Selection when you said if I were to be dropped out in the middle of the country, I still would have found my wife?"

I nodded. That was the day when he found out how unfortunate my family was. That was the day when he found out how much the palace and its compensations meant to us.

"And do you remember you said that I would protect her?" he continued.

 _Maxon…_

I gave a small nod. _  
_"America," he said lovingly. "If you will, I need to protect you. I want to keep you safe from all the harms in the world, because it's my job as king to protect the queen. But it's also my duty as a husband to protect you. If you don't tell me what's wrong right now, that's alright. But don't think for a second that I believe that it's your stomach flu."

All the blood drained from my face. _Oh my God. Does he know?_

He lightened the somber mood by saying, "And just so you know, I have my suspicions." He smiled and winked.

And before I could say anything, he gave me a quick kiss and walked out of the room, leaving me praying that he had his ideas wrong.

The days leading up to Christmas were torturous. I paced around everywhere, thinking about the perfect way to tell Maxon. I also had the funeral arrangements for my sister to plan for. Being queen, two days of grievance was already an excessive amount done. But during those two days, I had barely eaten, drunk, or slept. I asked the doctor if that was alright, worrying about my baby. She said it would be fine, as long as I kept up a healthy diet and sleeping routine, but I was still fearful.

Nonetheless, I was anticipating how Maxon would react. Even though this wouldn't be a grand occasion, it would be a very impactful one. It would change our family for the better.

"Mommy, did Santa come yesterday?" Kaden asked, tapping me on the shoulder, interrupting me from my thoughts.

The two of us were in his room, getting him ready for the Christmas breakfast, where we would also be unwrapping our presents. From my son's neatly stacked pile of clothes, I plucked out the sweater that had the words, 'Big Brother', knitted onto it.

Kaden craned his neck to read the print.

"Big brother?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yes, honey."

He looked at me confused, and said, "But, mommy. I don't see a baby."

I smiled and said, "It's here." I pointed to my lower stomach, and he gazed in wonder.

"Wow. How did it get there?" he asked.

I blushed and said, "You'll know when you're older. But for now, I need you to be quiet about it. Daddy doesn't know there's a baby."

He nodded, then thought for a moment. After a moment of silence, he asked, "But if there's going to be new baby, what will I be?" My heart broke.

"Oh, Kaden. You'll always be my baby. Don't ever forget that. I'll keep on loving you forever and ever."

He looked at me with puppy eyes and said, "I love you too, mommy."

At nine-o'clock, we were all situated under the Christmas tree, looking through the presents. The palace staff, Maxon, and I had all really spoiled the kids, but it was rewarding to watch their eyes fill with joy as they ripped open all of the wrapping.

Eadlyn gasped as she said, "I got a new tiara! It's so pretty!" She looked at the Woodworks, who were also with us, and specifically at Josie.

"You're not allowed to steal this one," my daughter spat out.

"Eady!" I said. "Be nice."

She huffed and went back to opening the rest.

I suddenly felt a hand on mine, shocking me. "America," Maxon said. _Had he finally read Kaden's shirt?_

I turned to him, trying to hide my mischievous smile and replied, "Yes?"

His eyes were filled with happiness and hope as he asked, "Big brother?"

We both looked at Kaden's sweater, and I breathed out, "Yes."

My heart flooded with joy as he took my face in his hands, and whispered, "I knew it."

He closed the gap between our lips, making me beam with glee.

"I love you," I murmured when we broke apart.

And he replied, "I love you, too. I love you so much."

 **Hope you enjoyed!**

 **If I get at least 8 reviews, I'll (try to) post two chapters for today/tomorrow (Dec. 22).**

 **And I'll try to make them add up to a total of 5k words. (That's twice as much as what I normally write!)**

 **Bye!**


	15. The French

**I'm sorry this is a really short chapter.**

 **I'll make up for it with the next one (hopefully)**

 ***You may have to use Google Translate for this chapter :)**

 **Hope you enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: all Selection rights belong to Kiera Cass**

"Bonjour Votre Majesté," Maxon greeted.

We were in the main foyer, welcoming the French Royal family. They had finally come to conference about a trade agreement after so many years of solitude from us.

Something in me stiffened when my husband picked up Queen Daphne's hand and kissed it. I shifted Kaden uncomfortably in my arms.

But all the bitterness washed away when I saw Ahren copy his father. He picked up Princess Camille's hand and pressed his lips to it. You could see her nervousness, but it was masked by a pretty smile.

"Votre Altesse," he said.

Their eyes locked, and they stared at each other for a few too many seconds. Daphne ushered her daughter forward so she was now facing me.

"Bonjour Votre Altesse," I said kindly, curtsying the best I could while carrying two children; one in my arms and one in my tummy.

"Hello Your Majesty," she beamed. She had this aura of happiness that seemed to spread everywhere, and it made me smile. She glowed inside and out, with her joyfulness and blonde hair that reflected her sunny personality. Although I had only just met her, I had already grown a particular fondness for her.

She looked at my protruding stomach, "Is there a baby in there?"

My free hand instinctively reached up to my stomach and rubbed it. I said, "Oui, mademoiselle. Il y a un bébé." I smiled.

She looked at it wondrously, before her mother pushed her forward again. However happy Camille made me, it didn't matter, because my uneasiness came back when Daphne coldly said, "Hello Queen America."

I didn't want any bitterness, and I didn't want our children to suspect anything, so I hoped to thaw the cold air by saying, "Queen Daphne, how lovely it is to see you again."

She just gave me a forced smile, nodded, and moved on.

I didn't understand why she would still be so closed off from me after all these years. The Selection had ended years ago. But then again, it had been years since she professed her love to Maxon.

I closed my eyes, trying to relax my mind.

But I was interrupted by the Prince Consort Frederick. "Ah! Salut Reine America!" I opened my eyes to see a tall enthusiastic man standing before me. Camille must have gotten her radiant energy from him, seeing as Daphne was the opposite of him. He extended his hand forward, and I placed mine in his. He gave it a gentle kiss, and from the corner of my eye, I saw Maxon tense up. I used Kaden's head to hide my amused smile. My husband's jealousy always showed when dignitaries came and acted respectfully towards me.

Maxon cleared his throat and said, "D'accord. Voulez-vous manger le déjuner?"

Before either of her parents could respond, Camille eagerly said, "Oui!"

Maxon smiled at her.

I set Kaden down, and the two of us waited for everyone else to walk first. Maxon put his arm around my waist and whispered in my ear, "Were you jealous, my dear?"

I looked at him and said, "Very."

He grinned.

I returned the favour by asking him, "Were _you_ jealous, my Royal Husbandness?"

He gave me a light kiss and said, "Extremely so."

* * *

All throughout lunch, I could feel Daphne's icy glare on me. Instead of letting that bother me, I resorted to talking to Camille.

"How do you like Illéa?"

"It's very...belle! The gardens are very belle! The fleurs sont extremely belles!" she responded.

I laughed. She used the word 'belle' in every sentence, and she mixed French into her English. Whether that was intentional or not, it was still amusing.

Ahren piped into our conversation and said, "Ma chére, if you would like, I could take you to the gardens after lunch."

 _Oh, my Ahren…_

 _You're only nine, and you're being such a big flirt already. I'm not ready to lose you to a girl yet._

Camille giggled and blushed. "Parfait, monsieur!"

"If I may, I would also like to introduce Princess Camille to the palace," Eadlyn said, reading my thoughts. She flashed me a smile. Oh, how thankful I was for her.

Camille's smile immediately faltered, but nonetheless, she said, "Okay." Her uneasiness showed when she shifted in her chair.

Under the table, I reached for Eady's hand and squeezed it, showing my gratefulness.

I whispered into her ear, "Thank you, honey."

She smirked, but I could tell that she was hiding something more. She wasn't ready to lose her brother yet.

 **Hope you enjoyed!**

 **Suggestions? Please review! Bye!**


	16. Away From Neverland

**Guys, I'm soooo sorry this chapter is soooo short.**

 **But I hope you enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: all Selection rights belong to Kiera Cass**

I looked into the night sky of Angeles. It was breathtakingly beautiful. The stars glowed and the moon shone, providing just enough light. The balcony overlooked the dark vast gardens, giving a mysterious essence to the flowers as their silhouettes swayed from side to side. The cool December breeze swept against my bare shoulder. I pulled my robe tighter to me.

I took a sip of my hot chocolate, closed my eyes, and leaned back into the chair. This little sliver of peace was enough to let my mind think of how to handle all the dealings of the castes. Even though we had now eradicated all of them, people wanted to avert back to their old ways. There had been a recent reporting up in Whites of a former Two forbidding a former Six to buy her products, just because of what they used to be. Eliminating the castes was supposed to eliminate all the burdens that came with each of them. It was supposed to annihilate all grudges and make everyone equal, but clearly, some people didn't get the message.

I heard the balcony door creak open and felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Are you alright, my dear?"

I kept my eyes closed and nodded.

I heard the screeching of a chair on the ground.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked.

I gave a tired smile and said, "Everything."

He laughed, and there was silence as we listened to the chirping crickets.

I opened my eyes and looked at my husband's closed ones. We were only thirty and twenty-eight, but I felt like we were so much older. In these few years of our reign, we have gotten more praise from the public than Clarkson and Porter had gotten combined.

"Maxon?" I asked.

"Mhm?"

"Do you...do you think we grew up too quickly?"

He looked at me in surprise. But then again, it had been out of the blue.

"I mean, we've done more in what, eleven years?, than many other monarchs have in their lifetimes. We've gotten rid of the castes, and we've won most everyone's approval. We've also provided them with a female heir. A _female_ one. That's a lot of firsts that we've done," I said.

He looked at me with a winning smile.

"But just look at us. You're thirty and I'm twenty-eight. We're so many things. We're king and queen, husband and wife, and mother and father," I continued. He grinned at the last one.

"To four crazy monsters," he added.

I couldn't help but laugh.

"And no, my dear. We're not growing up too quickly."

The confident look he gave me made me believe him. He scooted over and motioned for me to sit next to him.

I got up from my chair and curled up next to him. I leaned my head against his chest, feeling the rhythmic beating. He wrapped an arm around me and used the other to reach for my hot chocolate.

I looked at him with puppy eyes while he took a sip.

"That's my hot chocolate," I mockingly whined.

He smirked and said, "Well then, I should just drink the rest."

I cleared my throat and sarcastically said, "It is a felony to upset the queen. Therefore, Her Majesty Queen America of Illéa would like her hot chocolate back."

Maxon raised an eyebrow. "But, I'm the king. Can the king dismiss Her Majesty's orders?"

I dramatically gasped and said, "No, of course not!" I changed the tone of my voice and said, "Now, young man, give the queen her drink back, or she will force you to eat those dreadful strawberry tarts again."

He laughed.

"Oh no! The horror!" he said fakely.

He finally gave up and held the rim of the mug to my lips. He tilted the cup back, letting the sugary chocolate aroma flood my mouth.

The rest of the night was tranquil. We stayed outside, breathing in the sweet smell of the gardens beneath us.

As I drifted off into sleep, I thought about it. I knew that we were still young, and that there was still so much more of life we hadn't experienced yet. But inside, there was a little voice telling me that we had been set free from Neverland. 

**Hope you enjoyed!**

 **And please, please, please.**

 **If you have any suggestions, please tell me, cuz I'm kinda stuck on ideas except for one.**

 **Thanks! Bye!**


	17. The Vacation: Part 1

**Hi! I'm so sorry this chapter's sooo short, but it's a premise for what's coming next.**

 **So, hope you enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: all Selection rights belong to Kiera Cass**

I looked over today's paper and sighed. Another caste disagreement. A three had been robbed by a group of eights just a mere few hours ago in Panama.

How could we fix this?

Reinstalling the castes would be a stupid idea. It could lead to uprisings and more disputes. The majority of the population enjoyed being casteless, being given no boundaries on their aspirations. But there were a few that wanted to be separated by different classes based on money.

How could people be so selfish or jealous?

I put my head in my hands.

"Mommy?"

I looked up and saw Ahren sitting on the floor playing with one-year old Osten.

"Yes?" I asked.

My older son avoided my gaze, obviously shy to ask something.

"When can we go on a vacation?" he asked quietly.

"What?" I asked. A vacation? With everything going on, I don't think a vacation would be very ideal. However, a break from all this sounded wonderful.

"Never mind," he said.

I smiled and said, "I'll talk to your father about it."

"A vacation?" Maxon asked, perplexed. His reaction was a replica of mine when I told him just now. We were sitting on the bed, his arm around my shoulders.

"Yes. A vacation," I said, confirming his thoughts. "I know it doesn't really sound like what we should be doing, but I think some time off would let us think things through. We could let the advisers run the country for however long we're gone. Also, the kids could go somewhere they've never been."

He still looked reluctant on this idea.

"Maxon, don't worry. If you want, we could have a vacation in Panama, but just away from the city. Don't you have a private resort there on the beaches?" I asked.

"Don't _we_ have a private resort. And yes, we do," he said.

"Okay, so during the daytime, while the kids are playing, we could go into the city and see what's wrong, fix it, come back, and enjoy the rest of the time together. All six of us," I said.

He looked up to the ceiling and sighed.

Then, he nodded.

"Wait. That's a...yes?" I asked.

He looked back down at me, gave me a kiss on my head, and said, "Just let me talk to the advisers. If they allow it, then it's a definite yes."

 **Hope you enjoyed!**

 **Please review! Bye!**


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